Gymnasts from Foothills Gymnastics Academy in Tryon competed in the N.C. A.A.U. State Championship May 21 – May 22 in Charlotte, N.C. Winning a total of 92 medals, Foothills won 19 first place apparatus awards in addition to three first place State All-Around award honors.

There were 44 gymnasts competing in Level 2, including five from Foothills. N.C. A.A.U. does not award placements at this level, however two gymnasts ranked first on an apparatus. Madison Geddings, daughter of Jay and Lori Geddings, ranked first on bars (9.4) and finished with an All-Around of 37.500 (ranking second). Amelia Nespeca, daughter of Mindy Wiener and John Nespeca, ranked first on vault with a 9.800 and an All-Around finish of 36.950.

Ella Waldman, daughter Ethan and Renae Waldman, had a season high All-Around score of 36.200. Grace Strader, daughter of Tom and Belle Strader, earned an All-Around score of 36.050 and Scout Harmon, daughter of Jeff and Kristin Harmon, earned an All-Around score of 35.800.

All Foothills Level 2 gymnasts earned Elite status pins with their 36.0+ all-around scores earned this season.

Foothills’ Ragan Ashmore won first place All-Around honors for Level 3 Advanced with a 36.800AA. Ashmore, daughter of Warren and Jackie Ashmore, scored a 9.4 on vault (third place), 9.00 on bars (tying for first), 9.350 on beam (winning first) and a 9.050 on floor (winning second).

Competing in Session 3, Level 3 Advanced were Elsie-Morrah Padgett and Julia Griffin. Padgett, daughter of Edwin and Ashley Padgett, earned a 9.350 on vault (third place), 9.100 on bars (first place), 9.150 on beam (second place) and an 8.650 on floor (fifth place), winning second place in the All-Around (36.250). Ashmore and Padgett earned Elite status pins with there all-around 36.0+ finish.

Julia Griffin, daughter of Ken and Tangela Griffin, tied for first place in two events, vault (9.450) and floor (8.90). In addition, Griffin tied for eighth on bars (7.5) and won seventh on beam (8.8), scoring a combined All-Around of 34.650.

Level 3 Elite gymnast Rollins Carter tied for first place on bars with a 9.200. Carter, daughter of Robert and Margot Carter, tied for seventh on vault (8.750), placed eighth on beam (8.100) and won fourth on floor (8.950), earning a 35.00 All-Around score. Carter also received her Elite status pin. Foothills Level 3 gymnasts also won third place Team Award with their highest three All-Around scores.

Foothills’ Level 4 Advanced gymnasts Lily Nelson and Kate Padgett earned first place apparatus finishes as well. Nelson, daughter of Rich and Kim Nelson, tied for first on beam with a 9.00, also scoring 9.2 on vault (fifth place), 9.200 on bars (third place) and 8.3 on floor (eighth place) with a 35.7 All-Around score (fifth place).

Padgett, daughter of Edwin and Ashley Padgett, won first place on the bars with a 9.3 and placed eighth on vault (8.950), tied for tenth on beam (8.4) and tied for fourth on floor (8.750) earning 35.4 All-Around (sixth place).

Foothills Elite Gymnasts Leah Bulleit and Jenna McInerney won All-Around third and fourth place honors (Bulleit 36.050 and McInerney 35.950). Bulleit, daughter of Steve and Sandy Bulleit, tied for fifth on vault (9.2), won sixth on bars (8.650), won second on beam (9.150) and won third on floor (9.050). McInerney, daughter of Jimmy and Tara McInerney, tied for first place on vault (9.450), won first on bars (9.1), finished seventh on beam (8.7) and tied for eighth on floor (8.7). Elite medalists Bulleit and McInerney earned their Elite pins.

Level 5 Advanced Age 10+ first All-Around State honors was won by Foothills’ Julianna Robbins with an All-Around score of 35.700. Robbins, daughter of Arthur and Joy Robbins, also took first place honors on beam (9.100), first place on floor (9.250), second on vault (8.950) and sixth on bars (8.400).

Level 5 Advanced Age 9 and under had Foothills’ Sydney Waldman winning first place on floor with a 9.100. Waldman also won second place on beam with a 9.200, tenth on vault, and fifth on bars and fifth All-Around (33.850). Waldman is the daughter of Ethan and Renae Waldman.

Colleen Burke competed in the Level 6 division winning sixth in the All-Around (33.300). Burke, daughter of Pat and Julie Burke, earned seventh on vault (8.500), won fourth on bars (8.200), tenth on beam (8.00) and won fifth on floor (8.600).

In the Modified Optional Group A division, Savannah Robbins earned eighth All-Around honors with a 34.050. Robbins, daughter of Arthur and Joy Robbins, also placed eighth on vault (8.700), ninth on bars (8.400), seventh on beam (8.600) and seventh on floor (8.350).

The Modified Optional Age Group B division was swept with first place finishes in all events by Julia Skellie, including All-Around (35.750). Skellie, daughter of David and Caroline Skellie, won first place finishes on vault with a 9.350, on bars with a 8.500, on beam with a 9.100 and on floor with an 8.800.

Foothills Gymnasts next compete in the Southeast Regional Championship as North Carolina Team members against other state teams from across the Southeast such as Florida and Georgia. This event will be held at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte June 18 – 19.

Foothills Academy is coached by Jana Williamson and is located at 66 Academy Street in Tryon.

– article submitted by Renae Dusenbury Waldman